Thursday, March 12, 2009

Flowers for Mom


God is brilliant.
He makes newborns smell delicious and look so perfect so that you really don't mind a year of sleep deprivation.
He makes children so beautiful--every child so beautiful--so you won't mind the crayon on the walls, the times they throw up on your shoes, the fact that when little boys learn to pee standing up they generally miss the bowl a lot, the exhaustion, the sheer amount of laundry those little creatures can create, the oatmeal in your hair, the time they fed Cheerios to the computer.
And when you have a Demon Baby, I tend to think God endows such a child with something extra special. A sparkle. A way of curling around your heart so you forget the fact that last night, when you climbed into bed, you discovered he left you an earthworm on your pillow, which he had apparently stuck in his pocket along with these beautiful flowers.
I really do adore this kid.

10 comments:

BioniKat said...

At least you didn't discover the earthworm in the morning after sleeping on it!

Erica Orloff said...

momcat:
I suppose there are laternate ways to look at it. There's THAT. And there's the idea that maybe it would have crawled into my mouth while I was sleeping. I have learned, with him, to be thankful over and over for the "it could have been worse" moments. I.e., he drew with chalk on my hardwood floors yesterday while I was helping his brother work on his science fair project. But it COULD have been markers. So . . . "thankful" is what I remind myself to be all the time.

And then there is the cuteness factor.
E

Melanie Hooyenga said...

I feel silly pointing out whenever he's wearing clothes, but it's because I can only imagine the battle it took for you to get them on him.

Very sweet.

Erica Orloff said...

Melanie:
He was naked--OUTDOORS--about ten minutes after that photo. He decided his shorts were itchy. And then next thing you know . . . .

E

Cheryl Kauffman said...

I probably would have screamed so loud the neighbors would have called 911. When it comes to roaches, worms, and snakes, I lose it big time. I know it is stupid to be afraid of such harmless creatures.
I love that picture though, he looks so sweet.

Erica Orloff said...

Cheryl:
Hope you are feeling better!!!

Oldest Son has a snake. I LOATHE it. And then the snake is fed rats. Also . . . major ick factor.

Worms don't bug me. I'm fairly OK with spiders. (All right not huge HAIRY ones). But cockroaches set me right over the edge. The Palmetto bugs from when I lived in Florida . . . MAJOR freak-outs.

E

Robin said...

He's so beautiful. You're right. God is brilliant. He/she even makes teenagers cute.

Erica Orloff said...

Robin:
Yes, but he makes teenagers come after 13 years of raising them in cuteness, so you don't kill them from the years 13-17.

I have an 18-year-old. She is one of my best friends. At 13? Not so much.
E

Travis Erwin said...

And presented to you while fully clothed.

Erica Orloff said...

Travis:
The clothes didn't last long.

He was OUTSIDE naked for a bit. I KNOW the lady across the street thinks I'm nuts.

E